Dancing On Ice: Christopher Dean makes thinly-veiled dig at Gemma Collins for being a TOWIE star, leaving live show early and not 'being part of the team'

Christopher Dean has become the latest Dancing On Ice star to weigh in on the controversy surrounding current contestant Gemma Collins.

As the past week has panned out, the TOWIE star, 37, has been accused of being a diva for leaving the show early during last week's live broadcast, and has been met with criticism about it from the likes of judge Jason Gardiner and presenter Holly Willoughby.

And now Olympic skating pro judge Christopher has given his penny's-worth.

Penny's-worth: Christopher Dean has become the latest Dancing On Ice star to weigh in on the controversy surrounding current contestant Gemma Collins

'Some of them have a background of discipline because they’ve been in a band or been an athlete. That’s something Gemma hasn’t done before. I hope she will stay for the whole show this week,' he remarked to the Daily Star, in what appeared to be a thinly-veiled dig at Gemma's reality TV background and her timekeeping.

'I wasn’t aware that Gemma had left early until a while afterwards when people were talking about it,' he added. 'What Gemma needs to learn is it’s all about being part of a team. So I’d like her to be part of a team.'

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Gemma will skate on Sunday night for the second time, having survived Week One.

She came in with a paltry 16 points out of a possible 40, but ultimately it was Neighbours actor Mark Little who was eliminated.

Makes the dream work: 'I wasn’t aware that Gemma had left early until a while afterwards when people were talking about it,' Christopher added. 'What Gemma needs to learn is it’s all about being part of a team. So I’d like her to be part of a team'

In the meantime, Gemma has asked for a public apology from Holly and her co-host Phillip Schofield for branding her 'unprofessional'.

Last week, the This Morning presenters took the TOWIE star to task for departing the show fifteen minutes early last Sunday and also delaying rehearsals by taking a nap.

However, Gemma now feels that a public apology from the pair would be appropriate as she insisted they were given the wrong information.

Statement: Gemma has asked for a public apology from Phillip Schofield, 56, and Holly Willoughby, 37, for branding her unprofessional

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, she said: 'I’ve been told on the rumour mill that Phil and Holly have been told off, but a public apology would go a long way.

'I haven’t seen them yet – obviously I’ll see them at the studio, but I’d like an intervention before the show starts.

'We need to find the culprit responsible for giving them this false information.'

Gemma was said to be very upset by Holly and Phil's comments on the ITV chat show.

Gemma said: 'I’ve been told on the rumour mill that Phil and Holly have been told off, but a public apology would go a long way'

They were speaking with Love Island's Kem Cetinay, 22, who told how she had left last Sunday's show early due to being 'bored'.

Kem said: 'Well I didn't know she went until after but then we saw this video and I was thinking, "I don't know where Gemma is," and I went to her dressing room and she wasn't there.

'So I did speak to her after and she said she was a bit bored, but she does love skating.'

Holly then gave her opinion on The GC's no-show, saying: 'The thing is I really love Gemma, you know I'm a big fan of Gemma's and I think she's great on the show I do, but I think there has to be a bit of professionalism that comes into any work you do, just a bit of pride in your work.'

Phil then added: 'In all the years I've been in television, I have never kept a studio waiting.'

Not impressed: The presenters took the TOWIE star to task for departing the show fifteen minutes early last Sunday and also delaying rehearsals by taking a nap

The presenter said: 'But then that's absolute rubbish, that's just a really good excuse to get away with stuff you don't want to do. I love that side of her, I do love it, but I do think professionalism will always outweigh that diva behaviour.'

It comes after Dancing On Ice judge Jason Gardiner weighed in on Gemma's behaviour, branding her 'lazy'.

Speaking to The Sun, he said: ‘I can always see who’s lazy. Gemma is lazy. She doesn’t look like her heart is in it at all. I do despair — at the state of our society today and also the entertainment industry.

'When I grew up people were bloody good at what they did. They were exceptional at something, so you were inspired by people on TV. Now we celebrate mediocre in this country.’

Opinion: It comes after Dancing On Ice judge Jason Gardiner weighed in on Gemma's behaviour, branding her 'lazy'